Lob und Kritk » crushing kicks to the body that sent Brown crashing

CHICAGO -- Wrigley Field turns 100 this spring, and Chicago Cubs owner Tom Ricketts is looking forward to celebrating the landmark birthday. He also wants to get started on the future of the beloved ballpark. Ricketts said Friday the team is examining all options for financing the renovation of the Cubs longtime home, including bringing in outside investors for the franchise. "Most teams are owned by dozens of investors," Ricketts said. "Its unusual for anyone to own 95 per cent of a team. So were going to look at whether or not that fits for us. But it is non-controlling, minority shares." Ricketts said outside investment is just one financing option being considered, and the process is just getting started. He also said there is no reason to be concerned about the financial state of the club. "It is quite common for teams to sell limited partnership interests," said Sal Galatioto, president of Galatioto Sports Partners. "Most of the major baseball franchises are held through partnerships." Galatioto said his firm represented the Ricketts when they purchased the Cubs, Wrigley Field and 25 per cent of Comcast SportsNet Chicago in 2009 from Tribune Co. or $845 million. The family controls 95 per cent of the Cubs, with Tribune Co. owning the rest. Forbes, in its recent valuation of major league teams, ranked the Cubs as the fourth-most valuable at $1.2 billion. "The $1.2 billion valuation of the club by itself seems to be in the ballpark," Galatioto said in an email. While Wrigley remains one of baseballs most popular ballparks, it lacks many of the modern amenities that are common around the majors. But the teams privately financed $500 million renovation plan remains on hold. The long-delayed project calls for construction of a nearby hotel and upgrades throughout the ballpark, with a Jumbotron video screen in left field and a 650 square-foot Budweiser sign in right. The Cubs have approval from the city for the Jumbotron and sign but seek assurances from rooftop owners along Waveland and Sheffield Aves. that they wont slow construction by suing over blocked views. The rooftop businesses give a percentage of their revenue to the Cubs as part of their contracts with the team. "The key is to just keep moving forward and keep talking," Ricketts said before the Cubs home opener against the Philadelphia Phillies, "and I expect that something will work for us. Well figure it out." But Ricketts had hoped to have started construction by now, and he sounded a bit tired about the negotiations with the rooftop owners. "Weve made a lot of concesssions," he said. "At some point it has to end somewhere. But again, were not there yet. We keep working and see what we can get done." Air Max 1 Clearance . Knapp defeated American Alison Riske 6-3, 7-5 to secure Italys victory in the best-of-five series. She held a 5-2 lead in the second set, only to let Riske tie it at five. Air Max 1 Online Store . Gordon reportedly failed another drug test and is facing a one-year ban. Gordon led the NFL in yards receiving last season despite being suspended two games for violating the leagues substance-abuse policy. http://www.airmax1outlet.com/ . With the Rangers already leading 2-0, Carey Price was taken down early in the second period of New Yorks 7-2 pounding of the Canadiens in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final on Saturday afternoon. Air Max 1 Wholesale . Liriano pitched in and out of trouble in his duel with Josh Beckett, and Ike Davis homered to help the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 2-1 Friday night. Air Max 1 Outlet Sale . The bout served as the headlining matchup of Saturdays "UFC Fight Night: Brown vs. Silva" event, which took place at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati. It was Silva who looked well on his way to victory in the early going, delivering a pair of crushing kicks to the body that sent Brown crashing to the floor, doubled over in pain.MONTREAL -- Dierry Jean of Montreal has taken another step toward challenging Lamont Peterson for the International Boxing Federation light welterweight title. Petersons promoter Golden Boy won a purse bid Tuesday and has 90 days to organize the bout, which will likely be held in the United States. Jean (25-0) became mandatory challenger for the IBF 140-pound belt with a seven-round stoppage of Cleotis Pondarvis in Oklahoma in May.dddddddddddd Peterson (31-2-1) won the title with a split decision win over Amir Khan and defended it in February with an eighth-round TKO of Kendall Holt. The 29-year-old from Memphis was punched out in three rounds by Argentine Lucas Matthysse in a non-title bout in May. ' ' '